The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video

Director: Quentin Tarantino | Run Time: 105 minutes | Genre: Crime

Cast: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Harvey Keitel, Uma Thurman

A criminal couple sticks up a diner. Two mob enforcers retrieve a suitcase. A boxer agrees to throw a fight. Every single one of them finds their plans turned upside down. Pulp Fiction (1994) may not have been Quentin Tarantino‘s first film, but chances are it’s the first one you saw. The film was both critically acclaimed (winning the Palme d’Or) and commercially successful when it was released, and the passage of time has only increased its charm. Pulp Fiction is a wild ride told in a non-linear fashion, weaving through the lives of loosely-connected people, all intersecting in ways both exciting and absurd. John Travolta and Uma Thurman‘s dance scene, Harvey Keitel‘s unforgettable appearance as the Wolf, that moment with Bruce Willis and the katana; there are so many unforgettable scenes in this film that make it a must-watch for any cinephile.— Remus Noronha

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson | Run Time: | Genre: Horror

Cast: Sam Neill, Laurence Fishburne, Kathleen Quinlan, Jason Isaacs, Joely Richardson

If history taught you that Event Horizon is a “bad movie,” understand that’s only because history is often stupid and wrong. Director Paul W.S. Anderson‘s absolutely bananagrams cosmic horror sees the crew aboard the “Lewis and Clark” tracking down a distress signal being sent from the ship Event Horizon, which disappeared seven years prior during its maiden voyage into the furthest reaches of space. The rescue mission turns into a horrific haunted-house-in-space-scenario when it’s revealed the Event Horizon’s experimental technology opened up a hole in reality and flew right into a hell-dimension, bringing traces of that torture-happy alternate-dimension back with it. Basically a Hellraiser movie on a spaceship, Event Horizon is a wild, sloppy late-90s gem that absolutely deserves another look. (Assuming, of course, you’re on an astral plane that requires eyes to see.) –Vinnie Mancuso

Director: Woo-Ping Yuen | Run Time: 107 minutes | Genre: Martial Arts, Action

Cast: Jin Zhang, Michelle Yeoh, Dave Bautista, Tony Jaa, Chrissie Chau

The Donnie Yen-led Ip Man series is one of the great action franchises of our era, and with Master Z: Ip Man Legacy, it gets the ass-kicking spinoff it deserves. Fair warning, Yen sits this one out, but fans will recognize a familiar face in Jin Zhang‘s Cheung Tin-chi, the antagonist from Ip Man 3 who was soundly defeated in the third act and walks into Master Z downtrodden and determined to leave Wing Chun behind — until he gets caught up in a battle against opium-slinging crimelords. Directed by the legendary Woo-Ping Yuen with an ensemble cast that includes Michelle Yeoh, Dave Bautista, and Tony Jaa, Master Z is a wonderful spectacle of a martial arts film, sending the heroes and villains swinging from rooftop neon signs and trading blades in epic ensemble fights, and it introduces a completely different tone to the Ip Man franchise — electric guitar riffs and all — that promises a potential future for the series after Ip Man 4: The Finale. — Haleigh Foutch

Director: Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson | Run Time: 90 minutes | Genre: Animated Comedy

Cast: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, John Lithgow

It’s easy to forget just how big of a deal Shrek was when it hit theaters in 2001, but it was a very big deal. DreamWorks Animation challenged Pixar in the realm of CG animation with a more edgy, slightly more adult-oriented animated film—one in which parents would be laughing at jokes that went over their children’s heads. But at its core, Shrek works beautifully as a story of an outsider looking for acceptance, and love coming from unexpected places. It’s also just a really pretty and fun fairy tale in its own right, and while technology has advanced considerably in the two decades since its release, Shrek still holds up all these years later. – Adam Chitwood

Director: Michel Gondry | Run Time: 108 minutes | Genre: Romantic Sci-Fi Drama

Cast: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst

A playful yet profound musing on life and love, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is the type of film that you’ll wish you could erase from your memory to experience it all over again for the first time. It features a career-best Jim Carrey as Joel, a neurotic man just coming off a breakup. He had been with Kate Winslet’s multifaceted and melancholy Clementine though, as relationships tend to do, things became more complicated. They have now not just split up but have also undergone a procedure that will remove any memory of their having even known each other. The film then becomes a journey through the memories of the relationship, the good and the bad, as Joel tries to cling to the love he still holds for Clementine before it is gone forever. A glorious collaboration between writer Charlie Kaufman and director Michel Gondry, it is in their meeting of minds that the film finds something wholly original yet enduringly connective. It is an experience that finds beauty in the inner mind with both wit and wisdom to make for one of the all-time great works of cinema to ever grace the screen. – Chase Hutchinson

Director: Jonathan Lynn | Run Time: 97 minutes | Genre: Black Comedy Mystery

Cast: Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Lee Ving

An ensemble cast, a strange invitation, and a murder in a mansion. No, it isn’t Glass Onion, it’s Clue. Featuring a mix of characters from the game and new ones created for the film, Jonathan Lynn‘s take on the classic mystery board game is one of those few game adaptations that actually succeed in translating the fun of the original article. Getting back to the plot, the film follows six strangers who converge at a secluded New England mansion. Each of them is given a pseudonym to mask their identity and they are all being blackmailed by a seventh guest, Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving), who gives them all weapons (taken straight out of the board game) and suggests that they kill the butler, Wadsworth (Tim Curry). The lights go out and we, along with the guests, are launched into a wild ride full of murder and mayhem. The film was originally released with three different endings but luckily, the version on Prime Video combines all three. — Remus Noronha

Director: Steven Spielberg | Run Time: 128 minutes | Genre: Action-Adventure

Cast: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Denholm Elliott, Julian Glover, John Rhys-Davies

There’s a certain reverence with which Indiana Jones fans talk about The Last Crusade, and with good reason. The third movie in the series, the film is arguably the best of the lot. Even though Raiders of the Lost Ark was the first film featuring Harrison Ford‘s whip-wielding archaeologist, The Last Crusade is the first film to actually reveal the character’s origins, finally showing us how he got his penchant for whips, his fear of snakes, and even his nickname. It also introduces Indy’s father, Henry Jones Sr., as played by the late acting legend Sean Connery. But make no mistake, this isn’t just an origin story. The main plot of the movie follows Indy on a search for his missing father. In the process, he stumbles into the middle of a Nazi expedition to recover the Holy Grail. Soon, father and son embark on a race against time, trying to recover the mythical artifact before the Nazis can get their hands on it. Packed with tense action scenes the likes of which only director Steven Spielberg could conjure up and an exciting adventure full of exotic locations and deadly puzzles, this is a movie that lends itself to infinite rewatches. And if you do choose this film for your next movie night, know that you have chosen… wisely. — Remus Noronha

Director: Francis Ford Coppola | Run Time: 202 minutes | Genre: War Drama

Cast: Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Sam Bottoms

Apocalypse Now is a perfect film. It’s one of several immaculate adaptations by Francis Ford Coppola, who crafted The Godfather, The Outsiders, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) for the screen. The soundtrack is killer, the narration is intimate, and the scale is remarkable. It’s as dark, vibrant, and inscrutable as Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket, with character work that would influence greats to come, like Platoon. Loosely based on Heart of Darkness, Apocalypse Now puts the audience alongside Captain Benjamin L. Willard (Martin Sheen) on his mission up the Nung River in Cambodia. His mission is to terminate, with extreme prejudice, a former Green Beret Colonel, Walter E. Kurtz (Marlon Brando). Kurtz is said to have slipped the slope of sanity and assembled a group of guerilla fighters loyal beyond fanaticism. Captain Willard must forsake his own inner conflict if he hopes to execute the mission tasked unto him by his country or risk becoming the man he’s been sent to kill. The Academy Award-winning film received an extended cut in 2001, 22 years after its initial release, that’s currently streaming on Prime Video. While Apocalypse Now: Redux slows the pace and cuts the tension, it’s still a version of one of the most technically proficient and suspenseful films of all time.

Director: Frank Capra | Run Time: 131 minutes | Genre: Christmas Fantasy Drama

Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers

Widely regarded as one of the most influential films ever made, It’s a Wonderful Life is a timeless classic. The story follows George Bailey (James Stewart), a down-on-his-luck banker who spends a lifetime putting the needs of others ahead of his own. Faced with absolute ruin one Christmas Eve, George resolves to commit suicide. However, thanks to the prayers of his loved ones, a guardian angel is sent to save George from this horrible fate. The angel, Clarence (Henry Travers) shows George what the world would be like if he was never born, leading him to a profound realization about the value of every kind deed. While It’s a Wonderful Life is a Christmas movie through and through, it’s a great watch no matter when you see it. The film presents a sentimental and touching portrait of a genuinely good man and the wonderful, wonderful life that he leads. Whether you’re looking for a Holiday season watch or just a really good movie, It’s a Wonderful Life is an experience everyone should have at least once. — Remus Noronha

Director: Clive Barker | Run Time: 93 minutes | Genre: Horror

Cast: Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, and Ashley Laurence

Clive Barker’s name has become synonymous with the horror genre, just as his first feature-length film Hellraiser has become a symbol for leather-wearing, sadomasochistic, pain-worshippers. Both descriptors are fitting, though there’s so much more to Barker’s original 1987 film than mere fetishism. There’s a deep mythology here, a rather original one that started with Barker’s novella “The Hellbound Heart” and was carried on in numerous sequel films, comic books, novels, video games, and more. And it all started with Hellraiser, a film that explores the linked sensations of pain and pleasure on a number of levels. The main players are Larry Cotton and his second wife Julia, who cheated on him with his brother Frank shortly after they were married. This sets up one of the most bizarre yet rich mythologies in cinema history: Julia’s obsession with Frank continues well after his death and is rejuvenated when Frank himself is resurrected. However, Frank needs fresh blood to return to his full health, blood that Julia is happy to supply by luring men back to Frank’s abandoned childhood home and sacrificing them. And yet, as horrible as this is, it’s mundane compared to the arrival of the Cenobites, beings from another dimension obsessed with carnal experiences elucidating the extremes of pain and pleasure. Their design and presence is fantastic in the truest sense of the word and the practical effects on display here are just as terrifying today as they were in 1987. If you haven’t seen the original or any of the sequels, Hellraiser is the perfect place to start. If you’re not careful, this movie will tear your soul apart. – Dave Trumbore

Director: Nia DaCosta | Run Time: 91 minutes | Genre: Horror

Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Colman Domingo, Vanessa Williams, Tony Todd

Legacy horror sequels, now there’s a fad that’s really tricky to get right. Whenever filmmakers attempt one, it can either be a valuable addition to the canon that elevates the whole or a horrible cash grab that’ll be hated by fans. Nia DaCosta‘s Candyman is most definitely the former. The 2021 film is the fourth in the series and quite possibly the best, going further than even the 1992 original. With brilliant performances by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, and Colman Domingo, as well as a gripping script penned by Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, and DaCosta, the movie takes the Candyman myth and breathes new life into it. Abdul-Mateen II plays Anthony McCoy, an artist with a past tied to the events in 1992. As he seeks out inspiration for his art, he is introduced to the legend of the Candyman, which sets him on a dangerous path. There’s a sense of intense foreboding to the story, not because it makes you afraid of potential jumpscares or gore but because right from the beginning, you can see where the story is going and you really hope you’re wrong. Candyman is a tragedy but also a new origin story, one that ties together all the past origins of the Candyman with an important message about racial discrimination, systemic violence, and the power of stories to help the oppressed fight back against their oppressors. There are levels to this movie, never just about gentrification or violence or even Candyman the myth. Peele and DaCosta actually manage to turn narrative and storytelling into a supernatural force of vengeance. But don’t let us spoil it for you, check out the movie yourself. Fair warning though, you’re going to be thinking about this film long after the credits roll. — Remus Noronha

Director: Robert Eggers | Run Time: 136 minutes | Genre: Period Action Drama

Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke

The Northman echoes a very old narrative premise, following in a long line of stories ranging from Shakespeare’s Hamlet to Disney’s The Lion King. But what Robert Eggers does with his age-old story turns it into something exceptionally fresh. On the face of it, The Northman is a revenge story, following a prince who lost his kingdom as he sets out to avenge his murdered father, save his kidnapped mother, and kill the usurper who took away his birthright. And if that’s all you’re looking for, you would be satisfied. However, that’s not all there is to this tale. Depending on how you look at it, The Northman can be interpreted as the struggle between man as an animal and man as a civilized being. You can also see it as a reminder that we are all doomed to our fates, no matter how much we may want to escape them. And by the end of it all, there is a feeling you may get that this act of vengeance, as grand and bloody as it is, is only a footnote in a history that stretches endlessly back and forth through time. As for what’s actually seen on screen, Jarin Blaschke‘s cinematography is spectacular, especially when we get to the movie’s fiery final battle. Alexander Skarsgård unleashes his inner beast like never before, Anya Taylor-Joy delivers a haunting performance, and Nicole Kidman plays what may just be one of her most complicated characters yet. Don’t sleep on this Viking tale, it’s easily one of the best movies to grace our screens in 2022. — Remus Noronha

Director: Dominic Cooke | Run Time: 111 minutes | Genre: Historical Spy Drama

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Merab Ninidze, Rachel Brosnahan, Jessie Buckley, Angus Wright

For most people, Benedict Cumberbatch is either Sherlock Holmes or Doctor Stephen Strange. Yes, the actor has made quite a name for himself in major franchise movies but to limit him to those roles would be to ignore some of the best performances Cumberbatch has given over the course of his stellar career. Whether it’s his not-entirely-historical take on Alan Turing in The Imitation Game or the complex rancher he plays in The Power of the Dog, Benedict Cumberbatch has shown that he has the chops to play intricate, well-written characters with real and complicated lives. In The Courier (originally titled Ironbark), the actor takes on the role of Greville Wynne, a real-life British businessman who was recruited by intelligence officers to serve as a messenger, communicating with a valuable Soviet spy in Moscow. Unlike most spy dramas, The Courier is more concerned with the harsh realities of being a Cold War spy than the good vs evil narrative that you usually see in the genre. The fact that the story is based on true events just makes you feel even more for the movie’s two protagonists, as played brilliantly by Cumberbatch and co-star Merab Ninidze. This movie is a must-watch for fans of spy fiction and period stories, especially those interested in knowing more about the behind-the-scenes operations that kept the nukes from falling during the volatile Cold War years. — Remus Noronha

Directors: Adam Nee, Aaron Nee | Run Time: 112 minutes | Genre: Romantic Adventure Comedy

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe

Not to be confused with another similarly titled entry on this list, The Lost City is a hilarious romantic adventure comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. A surprise summer hit, the movie stars Bullock as a reclusive writer who is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire and forced to hunt for a long-lost treasure. She also receives some unexpected help in this endeavor from her cover model, played by Tatum. The movie’s two leads have excellent chemistry, with Bullock playing the embittered novelist and Tatum the enthusiastic himbo to absolute perfection. The Lost City also stars the ever-delightful Daniel Radcliffe as the movie’s villain, a role that the Harry Potter actor plays with charm and cartoonish evil. It’s a fun popcorn movie that’s perfect for a night in, and the experience is raised to a whole other level by a Brad Pitt cameo that’s easily one of the actor’s best comedic performances in recent times.— Remus Noronha

Director: Ridley Scott | Run Time: 158 minutes | Genre: Biographical Crime Drama

Cast: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, Al Pacino

If you’re looking for a straight-up biographical film, then House of Gucci is probably not for you. Well, sure, the Ridley Scott movie follows the romance between Patrizia Reggiani and Maurizio Gucci and shows how it rocked the iconic fashion brand the film is named after. But the real fun of watching House of Gucci is in the performances by its star-studded cast. From Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani to Jared Leto as Paolo Gucci, there are so many great and campy characters who bring a ton of energy to this film. Though the movie received rather lackluster reviews, it has managed to find its fans who regard it a misunderstood camp classic. — Remus Noronha

Director: Martin Scorsese | Run Time: 179 minutes | Genre: Crime Comedy-Drama

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Margot Robbie, Jonah Hill, and Cristin Milioti

You know how there are a lot of movies out there about the dark side of fame and money, usually with rock stars, actors, or entrepreneurs as the subject. Well, Jordan Belfort is an entrepreneur of sorts. The Wolf of Wall Street is a biopic based on Belfort’s 2007 memoir of the same name. It’s also a crazy ride filled with drugs, corruption, and ridiculous antics. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Belfort and Jonah Hill as his right-hand man and business partner Donnie Azoff. The film chronicles Belfort’s rise and fall as the most ruthless stockbroker on Wall Street, using every dirty trick in the book and inventing some new ones along the way. — Remus Noronha

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga | Run Time: 163 minutes | Genre: Spy Action Drama

Cast: Daniel Craig, Jeffrey Wright, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Ana de Armas

The final story in the Daniel Craig era of James Bond films, No Time to Die is not the best Bond movie ever. But that’s not to say it isn’t a great movie, it’s just that it’s got really strong competition. While all the Craig movies have been known for their emotional narratives, No Time to Die is a genuine rollercoaster of emotions leading to a bittersweet ending that’s going to take some recovering from. And the action! The movie is packed with plenty of action, including a really well-choreographed chase sequence. Rami Malek‘s villainous character is kind of a let-down, considering the actor’s talent, but this film is still a must-watch for every 007 fan out there. — Remus Noronha

Director: John Krasinski | Run Time: 97 minutes | Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Horror Thriller

Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Djimon Hounsou

2018’s A Quiet Place is regarded as one of the most unique horror films of the last decade so you can imagine how impressive it is when we say that the movie’s 2021 sequel A Quiet Place II is perhaps even better. The post-apocalyptic movie picks up where the first film left off and expands the world of the franchise in exciting new ways. Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe are back as the Abbott family, with Djimon Hounsou and Cillian Murphy entering the world as exciting new characters. Blunt and Simmonds are brilliant once again as the mother-daughter duo and Murphy’s performance shows exactly why he’s one of the best actors working in the industry right now. With tense thrills and a better understanding of the franchise’s monsters, this is a horror movie sequel that’s a truly worthwhile watch.– Remus Noronha

Directors: Bert & Bertie | Run Time: 94 minutes | Genre: Family Comedy Drama

Cast: Viola Davis, Mckenna Grace, Jim Gaffigan, Mike Epps, Allison Janney

This is a movie for every little girl with a dream. Inspired by the play Christmas and Jubilee Behold The Meteor Shower by Lucy Alibar, the plot follows a misfit girl called Christmas Flint from rural Georgia, where ambitions are big but opportunities small. But Christmas has the spirit of her namesake and she won’t back down from her dream of going to space. When her Birdie Scout troop gets a chance to be recorded by NASA for the Voyager Golden Record, Christmas and her friends get together to fulfill their once-in-a-lifetime chance. Set in 1977, Troop Zero has all the retro ingredients that you want from a movie, plus brilliant performances by the star-studded cast. The movie is funny, colorful, and heartwarming, all at the same time. — Remus Noronha

Director: Ian Samuels | Run Time: 99 minutes | Genre: Sci-Fi Romantic Comedy

Cast: Kathryn Newton and Kyle Allen

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is a truly delightful movie that’s a great comfort watch. The film’s narrative isn’t particularly groundbreaking but it’s got enough heart and charm to give you that warm feeling that a good rom-com ought to have. The real highlights of the movie are its stars. Kathryn Newton and Kyle Allen put on solid, endearing performances as the film’s lead characters, Margaret and Mark. The basic premise of the movie is a time loop, similar to Groundhog Day or Russian Doll, with the key twist being that the person stuck in the loop (Mark) has no real desire to break out of it. But Mark’s perfect, ever-repeating day takes a turn when he meets Margaret, who is also stuck in the same loop. Soon the two teens begin working together to understand how they got caught in the loop and decide whether they should try to break out. Grab some popcorn and curl up on the couch with this film for a little light, heartwarming watch.– Remus Noronha